St. Bernard Parish Schools Special Ed District Hub
St. Bernard Parish Public Schools
Welcome to Special Education
If your child is struggling in school, or has a disability, we’re here for you!
We know that you–the parents, guardians, and caregivers–are the experts in your child. We hope to learn from you and collaborate so we can understand your child’s strengths, challenges, and needs.
For more information about SBPPS Special Education Department check out our website: St. Bernard Parish Public Schools
About The Special Ed Family Collaboration Project
We are excited to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Exceptional Lives! They are a leading non-profit organization dedicated to supporting families of children with disabilities and the educators who work with them.
This pilot project is a significant opportunity for our SPED staff to build strong relationships and clear communication with families.
The goal is to foster a more collaborative and supportive environment that will improve the educational experience of our students and their families. To do this, we’ve had trainings for our special education staff, workshops for families, and have been making our communications easier to understand.
Exceptional Lives offers a large selection of free resources on their website to help you support your child and navigate the special education process. This includes other supports for your family like government benefits, health insurance, and a directory of service providers throughout the state.
We will continue to work closely with Exceptional Lives, share their resources, and create new ones that meet your needs.
Who Do I Contact
If your child is currently in school and you have a question about Special Ed, first contact their teacher or their school counselor.
If you still have questions you can contact:
504-301-2000
Elementary Supervisor, Evaluations, Child Search Coordinator
If your child isn’t in school yet, you can contact Child Search Coordinator, Alison Gros, for an evaluation.
Middle & High School Supervisor
Significant Disability, LEAP Connect, Related Services
Frequently Asked Questions about Special Ed in St. Bernard
- It’s a set of services and supports for students with disabilities. It’s governed by IDEA: the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
- All students from ages 3-21 have a right to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). This means the public schools provide services to students with disabilities or learning differences, so they can make progress in school.
- Types of support:
- Specialized instruction, like working with a math or reading specialist
- Accommodations: changes in the classroom environment to help a child learn
- Related Services: therapies like speech, occupational therapy (OT) or physical therapy (PT).
- The school will do an evaluation to learn a child’s areas of need, and to see if they qualify for Special Education.
- The evaluation consists of interviews, observation, and assessments of the areas of concern.
- You can request this by asking the teacher or school principal, in writing
- The IEP describes:
- The student’s strengths and challenges
- A set of individual goals
- A set of services and supports to help them meet these goals
If your child qualifies, you’ll meet with their IEP team. You are a key part of this team, and you have input into the decisions and the final IEP document. The team will draft an IEP and go over it at the meeting.
- A great parent-school partnership is one of the best ways of supporting your child that is in Special Education.
- Remember, the school wants your child to be successful and happy. Here are some tips for communicating with the school.
